1963-1987 Jeep Gladiator and J-Series trucks

1963-1987 Jeep Gladiator and J-Series trucks

Jeep’s replacement for both its Willys pickup and the FC (Forward Control) truck was the Gladiator pickup. The Gladiator was a much more modern full-size pickup than Jeep’s earlier workhorses. This Jeep was contemporary enough that, with a few updates and styling changes, it stayed in production without a ground-up redesign for 24 years.

The earliest Gladiators used an advanced six-cylinder engine, while larger V-8 engines were optional throughout the life of the Gladiator and later J-10 and J-20 trucks. Since Jeep didn’t make its own V-8s, these were supplied by Buick and, of course, AMC. The largest was the AMC 401 V-8—the biggest engine ever offered in a Jeep pickup.

By 1976, the J-trucks received a new frame, and an awesomely disco “Honcho” package became available in the late 70s. The rarest and coolest of all the J-trucks of this generation would be the stepside bed Honchos of 1980-1983—only 1264 were made.

1976-1977 Chevy Blazer Chalet

1976-1977 Chevy Blazer Chalet

No doubt the Blazer deserves a place on this list. But instead of picking a pedestrian version, we selected the rare Chalet. In the mid-to-late 1970s, off-roading and camping were two red-hot trends. But to do both, you needed a motorhome and a 4X4 to tow behind it. Not so if you ordered a Chevy Blazer Chalet. The Chalet was a pop-up camper body made by Chinook that slid into the cargo hold of a 4WD Blazer and provided sleeping accommodations for two. This meant you could tackle a tough trail in your Chalet and carry everything you need for camping at night. Brilliant. The Chalet retailed for just under $10,000, and less than 2000 were ever made.